Upon the passage of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act (Check 21), the use of digital images for check presentment has increased dramatically, as the process typically reduces the time necessary for a check to clear and the cost associated with moving paper checks from location to location. In lieu of using a physical check to clear the check clearinghouse, a scanned image is used in the process. A person, such as a bank teller, scans the physical check upon presentment by a customer at a bank. The scan creates a digital image of the check. The digital image, along with other electronic information such as amount and account holder, is submitted electronically to the federal check clearinghouse system. The system processes the digital image of the check rather than processing the physical check itself.
Banks and other institutions that may process checks have realized significant benefits by using electronic presentment of checks. Along with the reduction of the need to transport paper from the bank of presentment to the federal clearinghouse, a reduction in the processing time has also been realized. At issue when presenting checks electronically is the type of equipment available for use by the depositor and the communication capabilities of the depositor at the time of deposit. For example, a user that wishes to deposit a check by scanning the check and creating a digital image of the check may not have a scanner available for use. Even if a scanner is available for use, the user may not be able to configure their computer system to communicate information to a bank to deposit the check. Thus, the user may not be able to deposit a check, or other type of negotiable instrument, into their account.